MILLBRAE — Menlo-Atherton gave Half Moon Bay a dose of its own defensive-oriented medicine Saturday in a stunning 45-27 victory in the championship game of the Peninsula Athletic League tournament at Mills High School.

“They played awesome,” Half Moon Bay coach Rich Forslund said. “They smothered us on offense. They deserve to be champions.”

Half Moon Bay’s 19-game winning streak came to an end as this game followed a different scenario than the first time the two played, Jan. 2, when Half Moon Bay (25-2) came from behind for a 55-49 victory.

“We knew we could do it,” Menlo-Atherton point guard Christian Fioretti said. “We were up 17 the first time we played. This time we had a better game plan.”

The first quarter was a defensive struggle that ended with Half Moon Bay nursing a 6-5 lead. Menlo-Atherton was trailing 10-9 in the second quarter when it put together an 8-0 run to take control. Ray Fowler started it with a free throw to tie. Eric Norton, who was named the Peninsula Athletic League South Division MVP, scored off a pass from Christian Fioretti, then Fioretti scored on a fast break. A 3-pointer by Lucas Fioretti gave the Bears a 17-10 lead.

Norton led all scorers with 14 points. Lucas Fioretti scored 11, and Blake Henry had 10.

Girls

Menlo-Atherton 60, Oceana 42: Menlo-Atherton looked as if it would blow out the Sharks the way it had treated virtually all of its PAL South opponents, bolting to a 16-4 lead at the end of one quarter. The Bears utilized their size advantage to dominate the inside. Sophomore post player Greer Hoyem, the PAL South MVP, scored 13 of M-A’s 16 first-quarter points.

But Oceana got the game going at its faster preferred pace in the second quarter, forcing turnovers and drawing to within 22-18 at halftime.

Menlo-Atherton (25-2) righted itself in the third quarter. Carly McLanahan and Megan Sparrow hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the quarter, and the Bears extended their lead to 38-24 at the end of the quarter.

A 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter capped by 3-pointers by Sparrow and Mele Kailahi gave M-A a 47-24 lead.

Hoyem led all scorers with 23 points as Menlo-Atherton won its second consecutive PAL tournament championship. Ofa Sili had 15 and Sparrow 10 for the Bears. Ariana Margate had 19 for Oceana (22-5).

Miramonte 73, Pinewood 57: Miramonte (26-0), the No. 2 ranked team in Northern California, went on a 13-0 run at the end of the third quarter to go up 57-40. Hannah Jump led Pinewood (20-4) with 18 points.

The dispute stems from different interpretations of the team’s 20-year lease agreement. The Warriors argue the team has no obligation to pay an estimated $40 million remaining debt for renovations to the arena once it departs for San Francisco next year, while Coliseum authority officials insists the team must cover the costs in full.